Kennedy Assassination Tops Poll : Television: Moon walk ranked second most important program.

Blurred images of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, her arms reaching out in anguish from the car carrying her mortally wounded husband, were part of TV’s most memorable broadcast, a survey found.

President John F. Kennedy’s 1963 assassination in Dallas topped astronaut Neil Armstrong’s 1969 moon walk as the single most important television program in history, according to the survey released Monday, “The Best of the First 50 Years of Television.”

The acclaimed television miniseries “Roots” rated third, according to the survey released by the Siena Research Institute of Siena College, a small liberal arts school.

Hundreds of college professors, TV and newspaper critics and others were asked to pick television’s finest efforts from a wide range of categories.

The purpose was to prompt discussion and criticism, said Prof. Thomas Kelly II.

“Roots,” which looked at the history of slavery in America by tracing the ancestors of one black man, was chosen the best miniseries ever made.

“It was a highly dramatic historical presentation that people found attractive and revolting at the same time,” Kelly said.

The survey named former RCA president and broadcast pioneer David Sarnoff the most significant figure in television history. The development of color broadcasts was chosen the most important technical innovation.

“Hill Street Blues,” created by Stephen Bochco, was voted the best drama series by a 2-1 margin over second-place finisher “Playhouse 90.” Finishing sixth in the category was another Bochco creation, “L.A. Law.”

The survey also distinguished Bochco as the second-most significant producer, behind “All in the Family” creator Norman Lear.

“I Love Lucy” was ranked the No. 1 comedy series of all time, narrowly defeating “MASH.”

“Gunsmoke” was the overwhelming winner of the best Western series category, followed by “Bonanza.”

“The Ed Sullivan Show” topped the list of best variety series, ranked above “Carol Burnett” and “Your Show of Shows.”

Jay Sandrich, whose credits include “Get Smart,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Soap” and “The Cosby Show,” was chosen most significant director, edging out Alfred Hitchcock and Rod Serling.

In the news-documentary category, “60 Minutes” was ranked first, followed closely by the 1950s show “See It Now.”